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DR. TALIMEREN AO - INDEPENDENT INDIA’S FIRST FOOTBALL TEAM CAPTAIN
A 2018 commemorative stamp of Dr. Talimeren Ao. Image source: Wikimedia commons
Dr. Talimeren Ao, also referred to as "the barefoot legend of India," was Independent India’s first football team captain, and his name continues to be remembered today. On January 28, 1918, in Changki village, Maongsangla Changkilari and Rev. Subongwati Ningdangri Ao welcomed Talimeren Ao into the world. Changki village was located in the then-Naga Hills district of Assam, which is now the Mokokchung district of Nagaland. Out of twelve children, he was their fourth child. When he was just about 3 years old, the family relocated to the Impur Mission Compound near Mokokchung.
In 1933, Talimeren was sent to Jorhat Mission School for his studies, where he was able to join the school football team and receive formal training. By the time he started college at Guwahati’s Cotton College in 1937, his illustrious career as a goal scorer was already widely known. Shortly after, T. Ao received an invitation to train with Maharana Club, the most popular football team in Assam at the time. Here, his talent received the rightful attention it demanded, and his style of play evolved from that of a striker to that of a commanding centre-back.
Even though his game's popularity drew a sizable crowd, he was, however, committed to realising his father's dream of becoming a doctor. In 1942, he managed to secure a seat at the prestigious Carmichael Medical College in Calcutta (presently R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata). Sarat Das, a former Maharana Club teammate who was then playing for Mohun Bagan, one of Asia's oldest football clubs, introduced Talimeren to his club. At Das's urging, he joined Mohun Bagan in 1943 and soon got the opportunity to play as a starting eleven member. At Mohun Bagan, where he played until his retirement from football in 1953, Talimeren even rose to the position of captain.
Talimeren Ao (first from left) and the Indian National Football team walk out on London’s Ilford Cricklefield Stadium to play against France at the 1948 Olympics. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.
In the year 1948, Talimeren Ao received an invitation to join the Indian National Football Team. After joining the national team, he was unanimously chosen to become the captain. The 1948 London Olympics saw him serve as Independent India’s flag-bearer during the opening ceremony, creating history as the first captain of Independent India’s National Football Team.
During the Olympics, the Indian team made headlines for playing barefoot, amusing the British audience, and even surprising the Queen of England with their determination and spirit. Their first match was against Burma, and at the post-match interaction, when asked why Indians played barefoot, Talimeren wittily replied, "Indians play football, not bootball.”
This statement and the team’s unique play style left a lasting impression on international football fans, despite a 2-1 loss against France. A few missed penalty kicks cost them the victory in a close game. Talimeren’s performance at the Olympics caught the eye of representatives from the renowned Arsenal Football Club, who extended an offer to sign him. But honouring his father's dream, Talimeren turned down this excellent chance and returned to complete his education in Calcutta.
French Captain Gabriel Robert (left) and Indian Captain Talimeren Ao (right) shake hands during the 1948 match. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.
Between 1949 and 1951, while simultaneously studying to become a doctor, he led the Indian team in numerous friendly matches against Wales, the Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
In 1950, Talimeren Ao earned his MBBS, making history as the first Naga to do so. Following this, he decided to leave Calcutta (Kolkata) and his beloved Mohun Bagan. He hung up his boots in 1953 to concentrate on his medical career and became a full-time physician and registrar at Dibrugarh Medical College. Later, he became a civil surgeon at Naga Civil Hospital. And after Nagaland attained statehood in 1963, Talimeren Ao became the state’s first Director of Health Services, a post he held until his retirement in 1978. He was 80 years old when he passed away in 1998, and he was buried in Dimapur Naga Cemetery.
Blue Pilgrims (football fandom of the Indian National Football Team) unfurled the Talimeren Ao Tifo during India's 2020 World Cup qualifying match against Oman at Guwahati. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.
The Mohun Bagan Athletic Club expressed their gratitude to him by bestowing upon him a lifetime membership and the Mohun Bagan Ratna Award. In honour of Dr. T. Ao and to promote football in the Northeast, the "Dr. T. Ao North-East Football Trophy" was created in 2003. In the state of Assam, two stadiums have been built in honour of Dr. Talimeren Ao: an outdoor stadium in Kaliabor, close to Nagaon, and an indoor stadium at Cotton College, his former school in Guwahati. Another yearly tournament organised by the Nagaland government is the ‘Dr. T. Ao Trophy,’ which is an inter-district competition.
Dr. Talimeren Ao’s legacy is vividly alive in the football enthusiasm that permeates Northeast India. His pioneering efforts have inspired countless young players and contributed to the region’s reputation as a hotbed of football talent. The success of India’s finest players, like Baichung Bhutia and Lalengmawia Ralte, on national and international stages is a testament to the enduring impact of Ao’s contribution to football in Northeast India.
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